At
the invitation of the LDCs' (least developed countries) Consultative
Group, WTO Director-General Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi met 15
representatives of the Group in Geneva today to discuss issues of
particular importance to least-developed countries.

H.E. Ambassador M. B. Bowa of Zambia, Chairman of the Group,
highlighted some of the main concerns of the Group. He stressed the
need to streamline the accession procedures for LDCs and underlined
the importance of technical cooperation and capacity-building. He also
expressed the need for more efforts by the WTO Secretariat to target
assistance for LDCs and to enhance coherence in international economic
policy-making.

“I
greatly appreciate the work of the LDC Group and your constructive
contributions to the functioning of the multilateral trading
system,” said Dr. Supachai. He assured the Group that his own
objectives corresponded closely with the LDCs’ concerns. He stressed
that individual accessions were a matter for the WTO Membership, while
noting Members’ commitment in the Doha Ministerial Declaration to
accelerate the accession of least-developed countries, a commitment
which required further follow-up action. He also emphasized that one
of his stated priorities was to ensure that technical assistance
efforts would be effective, targeted and focussed. Accordingly, he
would assign one of his Deputy Directors-General the special
responsibility for enhanced technical assistance. Similarly, Dr.
Supachai informed the Group that another of his Deputies would be
assigned to target increased efforts on coherence.

Ambassador
Bowa expressed the appreciation of the Group for Dr. Supachai’s
sympathetic understanding of LDC concerns and assured him of their
full support.